Civil engineer to surveying technician
A civil engineer already meets 47% of what the surveying technician role asks for. The move turns on 12 required skills not yet in the profile.
59.1/ 100
1 How much of what a surveying technician is expected to do is already part of a civil engineer’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the surveying technician role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A surveying technician role treats 11 of its required skills as things a civil engineer already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- cartography
- ensure compliance with safety legislation
- geodesy
- geomatics
- mathematics
- perform surveying calculations
What stands in the way is 12 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 21 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A surveying technician role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a civil engineer background worth leading with.
- already held geomatics natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
- already held geodesy natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
- already held perform surveying calculations information skills
- already held urban planning law business, administration and law
- already held surveying methods engineering, manufacturing and construction
- already held collect geological data information skills
All 21 carried skills, including the 11 the surveying technician role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 25 missing skills fall into 5 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn compare survey computations required
- still to learn conduct land surveys required
- still to learn interpret geophysical data required
- still to learn record survey data required
- still to learn perform scientific research required
- still to learn prepare surveying report required
- still to learn process collected survey data required
- optional, not held collect data using GPS optional
- optional, not held collect mapping data optional
- optional, not held compile GIS-data optional
- optional, not held conduct research before survey optional
- optional, not held create GIS reports optional
- optional, not held determine property boundaries optional
- optional, not held value properties optional
- still to learn operate surveying instruments required
- still to learn adjust surveying equipment required
- still to learn calibrate precision instrument required
- still to learn geographic information systems required
- still to learn survey techniques required
- optional, not held geography optional
- optional, not held develop geological databases optional
- optional, not held apply digital mapping optional
- optional, not held create thematic maps optional
- optional, not held use spreadsheets software optional
- optional, not held prepare geological map sections optional
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a surveying technician role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 compare survey computations practise this
- 02 conduct land surveys practise this
- 03 geographic information systems study this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 21 skills that carry over
- already held cartography knowledge
- already held ensure compliance with safety legislation skill
- already held geodesy knowledge
- already held geomatics knowledge
- already held mathematics knowledge
- already held perform surveying calculations skill
- already held surveying knowledge
- already held surveying methods knowledge
- already held technical drawings knowledge
- already held topography knowledge
- already held use technical drawing software skill
- already held adjust engineering designs skill
- already held civil engineering knowledge
- already held collect geological data skill
- already held engineering principles knowledge
- already held engineering processes knowledge
- already held geology knowledge
- already held quantity surveying knowledge
- already held urban planning law knowledge
- already held use CAD software skill
- already held use geographic information systems skill
13 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held develop geological databases optional
- optional, not held prepare geological map sections optional
- optional, not held apply digital mapping optional
- optional, not held collect data using GPS optional
- optional, not held collect mapping data optional
- optional, not held compile GIS-data optional
- optional, not held conduct research before survey optional
- optional, not held create GIS reports optional
- optional, not held create thematic maps optional
- optional, not held determine property boundaries optional
- optional, not held geography optional
- optional, not held use spreadsheets software optional
- optional, not held value properties optional
75 held skills the surveying technician role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role advise architects skill
- not needed by the target role advise on building matters skill
- not needed by the target role approve engineering design skill
- not needed by the target role assess environmental impact skill
- not needed by the target role assess project resource needs skill
- not needed by the target role automation technology knowledge
- not needed by the target role bridge engineering knowledge
- not needed by the target role business management principles knowledge
- not needed by the target role check quality of raw materials skill
- not needed by the target role chemistry knowledge
- not needed by the target role conduct field work skill
- not needed by the target role conduct quality control analysis skill
- not needed by the target role construction methods knowledge
- not needed by the target role construction products knowledge
- not needed by the target role cost management knowledge
- not needed by the target role create CAD drawings skill
- not needed by the target role create cadastral maps skill
- not needed by the target role demonstrate disciplinary expertise skill
- not needed by the target role design building envelope systems skill
- not needed by the target role design principles knowledge
- not needed by the target role design wind turbines skill
- not needed by the target role draft design specifications skill
- not needed by the target role draw blueprints skill
- not needed by the target role electric generators knowledge
- not needed by the target role electrical engineering knowledge
- not needed by the target role electricity consumption knowledge
- not needed by the target role energy efficiency knowledge
- not needed by the target role energy performance of buildings knowledge
- not needed by the target role ensure compliance with environmental legislation skill
- not needed by the target role environmental engineering knowledge
- not needed by the target role environmental policy knowledge
- not needed by the target role examine engineering principles skill
- not needed by the target role execute analytical mathematical calculations skill
- not needed by the target role execute feasibility study skill
- not needed by the target role geochemistry knowledge
- not needed by the target role geophysics knowledge
- not needed by the target role identify energy needs skill
- not needed by the target role inspect construction supplies skill
- not needed by the target role inspect industrial equipment skill
- not needed by the target role integrated design knowledge
35 further entries not listed here
3 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn geographic information systems required
- still to learn survey techniques required
- optional, not held geography optional
Other moves recorded from civil engineer
- transport engineer 66% covered · moderate
- land surveyor 56% covered · moderate
- geological engineer 54% covered · moderate
- environmental mining engineer 52% covered · moderate
- equipment engineer 47% covered · moderate
- land planner 47% covered · substantial
- logistics engineer 46% covered · moderate
- wood technology engineer 45% covered · substantial
Common questions about this move
Can a civil engineer become a surveying technician?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A civil engineer already covers 47% of what a surveying technician is expected to do: 21 skills carry over, 11 of which the surveying technician role treats as required.
What skills does a civil engineer need to become a surveying technician?
12 required skills are missing, plus 13 optional ones. They fall into 5 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by information skills. The single most important is compare survey computations.
How hard is the move from civil engineer to surveying technician?
Its learning distance is 59.1 out of 100, which is the substantial band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.